Category: Family Life

Brush with Greatness I’m reading The 50 Funniest American Writers. It’s an anthology by Andy Borowitz. Good stuff. When I finished the George Carlin section, I turned the page and, BAM! The next story caused a memory to come flooding back. A connection to a little story I tell. A brush with greatness. I occasionally have these strange little star crossings. Meeting someone famous, usually while … Continue reading Brush with Greatness

Men in Uniform So here’s a thing that can turn your hair gray. Daughters hitting dating age. And here’s a thing that can make that gray hair fall out. Daughters hitting dating age in a Navy town. I knew this time was coming. I knew that one day I’d have to worry about the possibility of them falling in love and heading off to Guam … Continue reading Men in Uniform

Plan B This morning’s adventure. Snake in the backyard. Somewhere between 2 and 10 feet long. I’m pretty sure it was a Black Mamba. Or maybe a Black Racer. I don’t know. It happened so fast. I let the dog out this morning to do that thing she does. She’s in the middle of doing that thing she does when she sees the snake and … Continue reading Plan B

The President’s “Back to School Message” has caused quite a stir. I read in the Pensacola News Journal that Escambia County schools are not planning to show the address because they say it will cut into valuable class time. Could be a reasonable claim in these times of constant standardized test preparation. But… let’s just say that claim struck me as odd considering a recent … Continue reading Keeping People Out of the Classroom

I’ve been watching a lot of basketball during the playoffs. A lot. So much so it’s invading my dreams. My number one fantasy dream has always been about basketball. In the dream, I glide across the floor and I make the sweetest, thread the needle, no look passes you’ve ever seen. I leap toward the rim and at the point in the real world where … Continue reading The Vanity of Hoop Dreams

My day doesn’t usually start at a National Landmark fielding pointed questions from armed security. This was one of those rare mornings when it did. We’re on a family trip to the N-Y-C. It’s the first time Julie and I have taken the girls along with us to our favorite city and we’re about to begin a big day with a trip to the Statue … Continue reading Happy to See You

Icing on the Cake My daughter is working on an essay about what we can do to save the planet. Quite possibly the most popular essay topic in every school in the country right now. But that’s not the subject of this story. She’s a very good writer and that’s not just your average proud papa talk. She’s really good. But this essay is different. … Continue reading Icing on the Cake